Old world theatre to charm Delhi

Come December, veteran thespians like Lillete Dubey and Feroz Abbas Khan will bring alive the old charm of theatre in the city.

Raw emotions, dynamic performances, brilliant plays, the charm of the old world theatre festival organised by the India Habitat Centre, which has veterans like Lillete Dubey and Feroz Abbas Khan a part of it, is all set to captivate the capital, December 2-10.

With some well-known plays such as Vijay Tendulkar's Kanyadan and Anahita Uberoi's Bombay Black featuring veterans of the theatre world, and some new ones featuring fresh college talent - such as Kharashein by Lady Shri Ram (LSR) college and Soch by the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) - the festival has something in store for everyone.

Veteran theatre artist and film actor Dubey said Kanyadaan, the English version of the original Marathi script, which she has directed will complete its 25th show at the Habitat's theatre festival. <b1>

"It will be our 25th show when we perform at the theatre festival here. The play has travelled to Malaysia, Bangkok and Dubai, besides other places and has been appreciated by all," Dubey said Tuesday.

"Why do we feel that we don't need to revive the classics? If that was true, then all of Shakespeare's plays should have been stopped to be re-made ages ago! Kanyadaan was written 26 years ago in Marathi and was beautifully re-written in English by Gowri Ramnarayan.

"Someone said that the play touches upon the Dalit issue, thus it won't hold charm in the contemporary world. But that's the charm of the play, people love it no matter what," she added.

The festival will kick off with Chris Banfield's (of US) Mistaken...Annie Besant in India, a 45-minute English play, which is set in India in the year 1916.

Shaw Cornered

by Robert Shearman of Britain is the other international participant in the festival.

Besides these, there will also be a musical

Razmatazz

, directed by Raell Padamsee and performed by Sharon Prabhakar and eight other dancers.

There is a collegiate theatre section in the festival as well, which will have 11 plays, six in English and five in Hindi, by college students of the Delhi University.

Among the colleges whose plays have been chosen to perform in the festival are LSR, SRCC, Miranda House, Maitreye College, Hindu College, St. Stephens College, Sri Venkateswara College and Kirori Mal College.

Feroz Abbas Khan, best known for his directorial debut Gandhi My Father, said that inter-collegiate drama competition is the tradition that he comes from.

"I belong to that tradition of inter-college drama competition. This is where fresh talents are discovered, new ideas are harnessed and brilliant actors are moulded. The collegiate section of the drama festival here is no exception and is bound to win over everyone," Khan said.

From the vignettes showcased to a small audience prior the festival, one can be sure that the fresh ideas and powerhouse of talent that the college students unleash on the stage will mesmerise all.